2nd appointment with consultant today

[Riedenise]

Saw my Consultant today, 1st time after seeing him in January & he confirming I had RA. went armed with lots of questions & every ache & pain & symptoms I ve had since. I don't know what he thought when I brought my little book out!

He was pleased my bloods all looking good & going down. though still got tender joints on my hands/fingers. though swelling still slight on right hand. He decide to put me on Sulphasalazine? don't know anything about this one. have to sit down & read the leaflet he gave me. Already on MTX & Hydroxy. So more tablets to take.

Spoke about my dry eyes etc, said he thinks I have Sjorgens Syndrome as well, wants me to get artificial tears.

I spoke to him about the pain Im getting in my lower back/hips, he said he thinks I have a lower disc problem, after examining me. He is going to write to my Dr, and to speak to the Physio next week when I see her.

I just feel as if Im falling apart!! Im beginning to feel really old now, what else can go wrong!!!

Feeling really low & down tonight. I was only diagnosed 6 months ago & since it seems all of a sudden as if Im going downhill fast.

Sorry just in need of some hugs

Rie x

[Hidden]

Sending you gentle gentle hugs- you have had a tough day. Get some rest and I so hope you sleep well.

Katie

[Hidden]

Snap. Its hard to take it all on board but tripple therapy works for lots of people on here and hopefully it will for you too. It is early days for you still - I'm 18 months in and even though I'm starting a flare up I'm still feeling loads more positive because I've leaned how to manage things better. Famous last words but it will get easier and the Sjogrens is very manageable for me so sure it will be so for you too. X

[Hidden]

Aaaw bless you!

I know exactly how you feel but since being on here and hearing others offering support its given me hope.

There are lots of folk on here who will offer support, like you I feel I`m falling apart but thanks to people on here I can have hope.

I`m sure you can too.

Take care

Tom

[Craw]

Hi

Its hard taking it all in especially when you are already taking 2 DMARDS and you are still having problems.

I was like you at the start thinking how is this going to end but things will get better for you as it just takes a while for them to get you on the correct treatment.

I currently take the 3 of them MTX, Hydroxy and Sulpha and have done for 5 years and up until this year I have been doing well and hope you will to.

I am at the hospital tomorrow with all my tales of woe so I will see how that goes.

Keep your chin up and hopefully once to start the Sulpha things will start to get better for you.

Mary x

[helixhelix]

I'm on the triple cocktail too, and works fine for me. Sulpha took a bit of getting used to, as it had rather embarrassing digestive side effects to the extent that stopped eating with friends or outside the house for a while. But it settled eventually. And don't worry about the orange pee! But hopefully it will make the difference and you'll soon be on the way up again. I think overall it took a year from diagnosis to get myself back together, so it does take much longer than you expect. Polly

[Riedenise]

Thanks guys, woke up this morning & things don't seem so bad.

Getting support from everyone on here really helps, thank you. As I said yesterday my blood results are going down so things are working, just a little slowly, but I know we will get there. I just need to get my back pain sorted as that has taken over everything at the moment to the point at times I don't know what to do myself. I did try Tramodol & was quite ill, though at the same time they upped my MTX to 20mgso not sure what made me feel so ill, Im a little reluctant to try tramadol again.

Thank you again. I 'll keep you informed how things go. Rie x

[Poppymichael7]

Feeling a bit fed up myself. Had an op on my throat last August luckily it wasn't cancer as first thought. I have had COPD for a couple of years and was in hospital again just the week before Xmas. In January I was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome in February I was diagnosed with osteoporosis and in March I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, so all in all I'm totally fed up.

[Riedenise]

Bless you. You will find lots of help & support from everybody here. I know how you are feeling as you can see from my blog.

Sending you gentle Hugs Hun, take care, Rie x

[Poppymichael7]

Thank you it's nice to open up to someone hugs to you too xxx